South Africa hold upper hand

Impressive hundreds from Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla and early strikes by Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn gave South Africa the upper hand in the opening Test against Australia at The Gabba. Kallis scored a fine 147 while Amla hit 104 to power the visitors to a total of 450. James Pattinson (3/93) was the highest wicket-taker for the hosts while Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon and Ben Hilfenhaus picked up a couple of wickets each. In reply, Australia were in a spot of bother having lost David Warner, Rob Quiney and Ricky Ponting early before a counter-attacking stand between Ed Cowan (49*) and Michael Clarke (34*) helped the home team to 111/3 at stumps.

Session 1: South Africa set themselves up for a big total:

While Day 2 was a damp squib, the conditions were much better at the start of Day 3 as Amla and Kallis resumed their partnership. The Australian seamers, who were operating with the second new ball, did not seem to trouble the batsmen much initially. Amla surpassed Clarke as the highest run-scorer in Tests this year en route to his 17th hundred even as the South African pair extended their partnership past 150. However, the third wicket stand came to an end when Amla, who had scored his third ton in his last four Tests, was out leg-before to Siddle. Angled in from a length, the ball rapped Amla high on his left pad and umpire Asad Rauf gave in to the bowler's appeal. Amla, after seeking the opinion of Kallis, decided not to opt for a review although replays later suggested that the batsman would have survived had he opted for the DRS as the ball was going over the stumps.

Kallis then went on to register his 44th Test century and was given company by AB de Villiers as they played watchfully and started building a partnership. It was the 'Remembrance Day' for the common-wealth countries and everyone present at the ground observed silence for two minutes in memory of the fallen heroes during World War I before the first drinks break was taken. As the game resumed, there were some play and misses and some thick edges evading the fielders in the extended first session - to make up for the lost overs after the wash-out on Day 2 - but Kallis and de Villiers mostly played risk-free cricket, happy to play the waiting game and wear the bowlers down. With JP Duminy ruled out of the series, the onus was on this pair to lead South Africa to a good total and they seemed determined to do that as they brought up a fifty run stand to take South Africa to 357/3 at lunch. Kallis, who was unbeaten on 137, had registered his highest Test score against Australia, while de Villiers was not-out on 32.

Session 2: Australia strike but South Africa pile on

The South African pair came out with a more aggressive intent in the post lunch session as they gathered the runs at a fairly quick rate as compared to the opening session. But just 4 overs into the session, the Proteas suffered a setback as the well-set Kallis made his way back to the pavilion. Trying to cut a shortish delivery from James Pattinson, Kallis was done in by the extra bounce and ended up slashing it to gully where Quiney took a brilliant catch. de Villiers, who had added 90 runs in partnership with Kallis, also departed soon, falling to the same bowler when he cut a short delivery straight to Warner at point. The quick wickets brought Jacques Rudolph and Vernon Philander to the crease and they consolidated to help the visitors reach 400 at the half-way stage of the second session. But Philander's outing did not turn out to be an extended one as he departed on 11 when he gave Michael Clarke a catch at first slip while trying to poke at a Siddle delivery.

Steyn who was the next man in, hung around with Rudolph as the pair undertook the job of helping South Africa post a big score. It appeared as though Steyn's stay would be a short one as he was rapped on the pads by Hilfenhaus when he was on 8 and umpire Rauf raised his finger straight away. Steyn decided to review it immediately and the replays showed that the umpire was wrong, letting Steyn continue batting. However, Rudolph had no such luck, perishing in his attempt to score quick runs. Having come down the track to Nathan Lyon and smashing him down the ground for a four, Rudolph (31) stepped out for a second time, but could not get to the reach of the ball and ended up slicing a catch to Quiney. Steyn then managed another boundary, a fine drive off Hilfenhaus, to take South Africa to 434/7 at the tea break.

Session 3: Australia fight back after losing early wickets

There was an injury scare for Steyn when he was struck on his shoulder by a Hilfenhaus delivery after tea. After he was attended by the physio, Steyn resumed only to last two more deliveries before outside edging Hilfenhaus to Matthew Wade to depart on 15. Debutant Rory Kleinveldt, who had scored 16 in quick time could have been the ninth South African to depart but for Cowan who put down a tough chance at mid wicket to deny Lyon a wicket. Hilfenhaus had the privilege of picking up the final wicket (JP Duminy's injury meant that he was absent hurt) when Morne Morkel found Siddle at mid off.

Australian batsmen had their work cut-out after South Africa had posted a sizeable total and the hosts would have hoped for a solid start. However, Steyn and Morkel had other ideas as they dealt early blows to put the Clarke-led side in trouble. Warner (4) was the first to depart when he prodded at a Steyn delivery and the ball took the outside edge to the hands of Kallis at second slip. Rob Quiney (9), who was playing his maiden Test, got off the mark with an impressive pull shot for a couple to square leg. But attempting the same stroke off Morkel proved to be his undoing as he hit it straight to Steyn who latched on to the ball at fine leg, just inside the ropes. Cowan, who had started off by hitting a couple of boundaries off Philander, was in a positive frame of mind as he pulled Steyn for a couple of more fours. However, the opener who had witnessed two wickets going down at the other end, saw a third one too when Ponting nicked Morkel to Kallis to depart on nought.

Australia needed a rearguard action and Clarke and Cowan set about doing that by building a positive partnership. The pair went about their jobs in a diligent manner, picking up the singles and twos initially and rotating the strike well before the boundaries started coming for them regularly. Clarke scored a four each off Philander and Morkel while Cowan twice thumped back to back boundaries off a nervous looking Kleinveldt and one off Philander to help Australia forward. Kleinveldt, who also conceded a four to Clarke, was taken off the attack after just three overs in which he gave away 27 runs. Clarke then got a thick outside edge off Morkel to the third man fence to bring up the 100 for Australia before glancing the same bowler to the fine leg boundary. There was a loud shout for caught behind when Cowan appeared to have gloved Morkel to the keeper. Umpire Rauf decided to rule in favour of the batsman upon which the Proteas referred the decision. However, the bowler had over-stepped and no-ball was called. Cowan, who was approaching his fifty, and Clarke saw through the final over which was bowled Philander, ensuring there was no further damage.

Following a draining draw in the second test, Australia took a new pace attack to Perth but Siddle was quick to defend the team's tactics saying it was important to ensure the players don't suffer an injury.

Ricky Ponting, who called it quits, on a glorious international career at the WACA on Monday, told sources that while he regarded the Indian Little Master, Sachin Tendulkar, as the greatest batsman he had played against, it was the flamboyant West Indian, Brian Charles Lara, who gave him nightmares, for his ability to single-handedly turn a match on its head and take his team to victory.

'Punter', as Ricky Ponting was popularly known as, called it a day on one of the most glorious and celebrated careers in Test cricket history. A great competitor, an astute captain and a phenomenal batsman, Ponting epitomized the 'Never Say Die Attitude'. Shubhartho Ghosh, an avid follower of Australian cricket, takes us through an emotional journey of the legendary batsman.

South Africa maintained their supremacy as the No. 1 ranked team in Test cricket when they annihilated Australia by a whopping margin of 309 runs to clinch the 3-match series 1-0 on Day 4 of the third and final Test at the WACA in Perth. Ricky Ponting was dismissed for 8 in his final international appearance.